Lightning talks

Women in Tech York is a community! We're made up of individuals studying, working in, or interested in technology. We run events where attendees can share their knowledge and interests, as well as encourage and empower one another whilst building their networks.

Our events are not exclusive to women; absolutely everyone is welcome. You don't need to be a coder or consider yourself technical to enjoy and benefit from our events. We welcome all students and career-changers who are interested in learning more about tech and careers in the industry.

Events run on the second Thursday of the month.

As always, there will be a free buffet (vegan options available) thanks to our amazing sponsors Isotoma and Genio. Please let us know about allergies in advance.

Our monthly events are designed to compliment our goals:

⭐ Feel included – Join a space where everyone is welcome.

⭐Explore your options – Discover new paths, ideas, and technologies.

⭐ Grow your network – Connect with like-minded people

⭐ Learn something new – Gain insights from speakers, panels, and discussions.

Because we mix up the format each month, some events will be more social, while others might focus on talks or structured networking.

It's a series of quick fire talks, covering:

⚡How to communicate with clarity and intent at work

⚡Embracing tough feedback

⚡How success can come not from having the answers, but from having the courage to keep asking questions

⚡The importance of considering individual differences in gamification strategies

This month our event is designed to help you learn something new.

With over 10 years in the digital industry, has lead multi-disciplined teams to deliver impactful projects for household names and public sector clients. Jeni is passionate about fostering collaboration and helping teams work smarter to achieve meaningful results.

is a user researcher and accessibility specialist working at Yorkshire Building Society, and a Women in Tech York Ambassador.

is a Product and Change professional with experience leading digital transformation across education, SaaS, and non-profit sectors. PSPO certified, specialising in user-centred problem solving, stakeholder engagement, and building products that deliver real value.

With a background in psychology and experience supporting students with disabilities, is passionate about creating inclusive and user-centred digital experiences. Now a UX Designer at Genio, an EdTech company based in Leeds, her journey from Customer Support to UX design was fuelled by curiosity and a desire to make a positive impact. Nicole's work focuses on research, design, and testing, ensuring that digital products meet the evolving needs of their users.

Submit your talk details here - we review submissions monthly as a team and vote for the talks we'd most like to hear. All submissions are anonymised before voting to ensure a fair process.

We're a very friendly group! If you'd like to chat to us beforehand you can join our Slack community or contact us directly via social media or email with any questions.

• Slack: https://wit-york.slack.com
• LinkedIn: Women in Tech York
• Instagram: womenintechyork
• Email: V29tZW5JblRlY2hZb3JrIHwgZ21haWwgISBjb20=
• Website: https://www.wityork.org.uk/contact

Can you cater for allergies and dietary requirements?

We always do our best to cater for everyone. If you let us know about your requirements at least 4 days in advance we'll pass them on to the venue and ask them to accommodate. A vegan buffet is ordered by default.

If you have concerns about the food on the night then please speak to a member of staff. Nutritional information can be found on Revolution's website. We order a buffet which typically includes mini burgers, fries, salads, garlic bread and small snacks. If you need to know what food will be provided ahead of time please let us know.

Is this event accessible?

• The room booked for this event is upstairs, but can be accessed by a lift. Please contact Revolution to confirm access to the lift.
• We usually use Google Slides with captions
• We ask our speakers to use the microphones provided.
• We have exclusive access to the upstairs toilets - please note there are 2 steps up to access these toilets specifically, though other toilets are available.
• You know your needs best - we've added an option on our order form for any adjustments or requirements you want to let the organisers know about in advance. We will do our best to ensure a fair and comfortable experience for everyone.

Is this event inclusive ?

We try our best to make sure everyone feels included, welcome and comfortable at Women in Tech York events

• Pronoun stickers are available for everyone (if your pronoun isn't provided please let us know and we'll get more created to include you).
• Red camera badges are available to indicate that you don't want to be photographed.
• Music is kept to a low volume.

Getting here

If you're unsure how to get to Revolution check out thesection of our website - we've added information on car parks, buses and bike paths around York.

The short version of our code of conduct is be respectful. Everyone here is part of our community. We do not tolerate any form of harassment or abuse.

If you'd like to see the full code of conduct, please view it on our website https://www.wityork.org.uk/conduct or email V29tZW5JblRlY2hZb3JrIHwgZ21haWwgISBjb20= for more details.

Info: You can arrive any time during registration. This is a chance for attendees to check in, grab a drink, and chat. The event will formally start at 18:30.

Info: Do you get lost in the noise? Or have you ever opened a link with zero context and thought "what am I supposed to do with this?". In this talk, Jeni shares how to communicate with clarity, manage expectations and keep collaboration strong - no matter the distance.

Learn about the considerations needed to turn calls and message interactions into meaningful outcomes for effective digital teams.

Info: This talk examines the differences between individuals motivated by competition, such as leaderboards, versus those driven by task enjoyment and UI design. It highlights that while high competitiveness correlates with leaderboard motivation, low competitiveness finds them demotivating. The presentation emphasises that engaging UI design is crucial for all learners and concludes by stressing the importance of considering individual differences and alternative motivational approaches, like progression and competence, in gamification strategies.

Info: Ever been given feedback at work that was hard to swallow (but you know deep down is right)?

Feeling unclear about how to take it on, do it, and be glad you made the change?


This talk explores how to embrace the challenge of tough feedback, identify and overcome personal resistance, and transform it into meaningful, positive changes that actively benefit your growth.

Info: In fast-paced digital environments, there’s often pressure to jump straight to solutions or deliver as quickly as possible. But what if the most powerful thing we can do is pause and ask: Why?


Lucie explores The Power of Why & how digging beneath the surface of problems leads to better outcomes for users, teams, and organisations. Drawing from real-world examples in product and change roles across multiple sectors to show how reframing challenges around core user needs and business goals can completely transform the path we take.


This talk covers:

• Why “why” is the most underused tool in tech problem-solving

• Techniques to identify root causes

• How asking “why” fosters alignment, clarity, and more meaningful collaboration

• The cultural shifts needed to embed curiosity over certainty

Whether you’re in development, design, product, or passionate about building better things, this talk is for for anyone who has been handed a solution and thought "What problem is this solving?"

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